RoadBlock (3 page)

“Probably.”

“What else is going on? There’s more to this, if my mom called.” His eyes darted between Betony and Cal, silently demanding information.

“I told you I knew I had to come here, for you. But you’re right, there is a little more... Betony also has someone to meet, a partner. And I know that our partnerships aren’t just…
romantic
, although they might be that. We need to be together, all four of us, or this coven will be destroyed.”

“Holy crap!
Dramatic much?
” When Cal just shrugged Dagger realized he was serious.
“
The coven needs us?
Us? What
is going to destroy the coven? Do you know what we have to do? Why didn’t my mother say anything about this? Why did she even move away if this is such a threat? This doesn’t make sense.”

“It doesn’t have to make sense, it just
is
. She moved away so you would stay, and so I could come here, most likely. Two powerful seers in one coven is never good. We don’t work well with others.”

Dagger ran his hands through his hair, resting his elbows on the table. “Do you think this has anything to do with the charm we found at your house?” He asked without looking up.

“I do.” Calderon answered quietly.

Betony’s eyes snapped to her brother. “You didn’t say anything earlier.”

“I didn’t know Dagger’s mother was a seer. It changes things.”

Betony sighed. She had long ago stopped trying to piece together the clues her brother used to make his predictions. She just accepted that he was almost always correct. Her thoughts turned to the man he had told her would be her ‘partner’, and she hoped once again he was wrong, this time. She realized, then, that Dagger probably knew him.

“Hey…Dagger? Do you know a guy named Wade?”

“Wade Johnson? Yeah. I know him well, we grew up together. Why? Wait, is he the guy you’re here for?”

“Calderon thinks so.” She sniffed, looking disgusted.

“He’s a good guy, Betony. He looks kind of wild, and I know he sometimes gets a bit rowdy at the bars in town…but he’s got a good heart, and he’s a pretty powerful witch.” At Betony’s cocked eyebrow, Dagger continued, “He can heal, not just himself but others as well. Minor physical regeneration, moderate healings, increased strength. It’s a good skill, and rare. Probably the reason he’s not afraid to ride that motorcycle everywhere.”

“Hmph. Well, he didn’t impress me very much when we met. I think he was drunk. Or high. And he was rude.”

“He wasn’t
rude
,” Calderon interrupted, “he
liked
you. And he was drunk.”

“Whatever.” Betony huffed and looked away. Dagger watched them both, not sure what was more shocking- the fact that his mother had known Calderon was coming for him, that he was going to have some important job to do to protect his coven, that old Calvin had somehow been involved in all this, or that Wade Johnson was going to be dating Betony. Once again he was struck by how much his life had changed since that morning.

“So, we need Wade. And what do you mean we need to be together? Like, we need to be friendly, or like we need to live nearby? Wade lives across town, with his cousin I think.”

“Yes. He needs to move here. Either with you or with us. We need to stay physically close. Separating would be…bad.”

“Uh, okay. Does he know this? Will he accept it? And what if he doesn’t?”

“I haven’t told him yet. He was actually pretty drunk the other day. We invited him over tomorrow night, for dinner. We were hoping you’d come, too, and we could tell him then.”

“You knew I’d help you today, didn’t you?”

“No.” Calderon looked down, his cheeks flushing a little. “I…I can’t get much from you. I can see what we should do as a group, but you and me,
our
interactions? I’m blind.”

“Is that weird? Are you worried about that?”

“No.”

Dagger let out a long breath. Calderon was a man of few words, which he had found sort of hot earlier, but now it was irritating. He wanted answers. “Can you explain it to me?” He asked slowly.

“Seers don’t usually read their mates, or their spouses. It’s a protection, of sorts. We actually can’t foresee much relating to anyone in our immediate families. I can’t read Betony, either. But with spouses, its impossible. My father said that he knew he was supposed to marry my mother when he stopped knowing what she was going to do next.”

“So you’re saying that you and I are meant to be mates, or spouses.”

“I think so.”

Dagger flicked his gaze to Betony, and found her sitting stiffly, arms crossed over her chest, jaw tight. “You don’t like this, do you?”

“I like you, Dagger, it’s not that. I just don’t like the idea of a pre-destined mate. It’s…I don’t know, It’s just
wrong
. But Cal is hardly ever wrong, and if he thinks you two should be together, maybe you should try it.”

“I have no problem with that.” Dagger smirked, making Calderon’s blush deepen. “What about you and Wade?”

“
That
is what I don’t like.”

“Bet, I told you. It doesn’t
have
to be romantic.”

She just let out a little huff and got up, clearing her plate and a few others as she walked into Dagger’s kitchen. Calderon chanced a look across the table at Dagger and found him watching Betony walk away. What must he think of them, Calderon wondered? They show up, dropping all these crazy premonitions into his life, expecting him to believe them, to befriend them. But he
had
believed them, and he
had
befriended them. To Calderon, this was proof his vision had been correct. And watching Dagger process it all was exciting, in a way. His brow was crinkled, his gaze unfocused. He was relaxed, and clearly accepted what Cal had said as truth, but was still trying to make sense of it, explain it somehow. It made Cal smile to realize this was how Dagger was, he was an analyzer. It was cute.

“Dagger, what do you do for work?”

“Oh…I fix computers. Hardware, mostly. It’s a small company though, so sometimes I have to do some software stuff, if it’s basic I can handle it. How about you?”

“Teach online college courses. Literature, folklore, this upcoming semester I have one on Celtic legends and fairy tales, which should be fun. It’s all video casts and remote Q&A, so I can do it from anywhere. Maybe you can help me get my computer set up here, though?”

“Yeah, no problem. How about Betony? What does she do?”

“Makes herbal lotions, soaps, beauty products. She has an online shop, it does pretty well.”

“Nice.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Dagger thought of something. “So, did you always know you’d have to move someday? Is that why you both have jobs that you can do anywhere?”

Calderon studied him closely. Having a mother who was a seer had taught him some things, it seemed. “Yes. That’s why.”

Dagger just nodded. “Where did you live before?”

“New York. Queens.”

“And before that?” Neither of them had a New York accent, Dagger knew they weren’t from there originally.

Calderon smiled. “Hartford. We were born there. Moved to New York for Betony’s training. She interned with an herbalist there.”

“You’ve always stayed together?”

Calderon’s smile faded, but he answered. “Our parents died in a car crash when we were both in college. We don’t have any other family, except for a few second-cousins in California. We’ll always stay together.”

“I’m sorry.” Dagger reached out across the table and placed his hand over Cal’s, an automatic gesture of comfort he didn’t even think about. When their hands touched, though, a little shiver passed through them both, and their eyes locked. Betony walked in then, and Dagger pulled his hand away, getting up to help her with the dishes.

“I’m sorry, Betony, you shouldn’t be doing this. Here, sit down and I’ll open another bottle of wine. I can clean up in my own house!”

“I don’t mind, Dagger! You made us dinner, and helped with the porch. It’s fine.”

Calderon got up and helped Dagger clear the last of the dishes, and they all walked into the kitchen. When Dagger had refilled their wine glasses he rolled up his sleeves and began rinsing off dishes and loading the dishwasher. They talked easily, about their jobs and the work that still had to be done on the house, about the coven and the town. Soon it was full dark, and Betony was yawning.

“I think I’m going back home. I still need to unpack a few things and I’ve got to get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We should both go.”

“Thank you for dinner, Dagger, that was really nice.”

“Hey, no problem. Do you need help tomorrow?”

Calderon and Betony exchanged a glance. “I feel bad asking you, but yes, actually, we can use all the help we can get. Tomorrow is furniture day.” She said the last part with a groan, and Dagger chuckled.

“I don’t mind. Come over for coffee when you get up?”

“Sure, thanks!”

Dagger walked them to the door, and Betony gave him a little hug before she trudged across the street. Calderon paused, and Dagger used the hesitation to pull him into an awkward kiss. He startled, but recovered quickly, wrapping his arms around Dagger’s waist and returning the kiss. Dagger moaned against Cal’s lips, feeling him respond, and deepened the kiss, opening his mouth and sweeping his tongue inside, exploring. Dagger’s thigh pressed between Cal’s legs, and Cal felt himself growing hard. Dagger’s hands were everywhere, groping his ass, running up his back, squeezing his hip, every touch making Calderon’s stomach flip. He tried to reciprocate, but his hands seemed stuck on Dagger’s back, holding him tightly against him, as if Dagger might try to break away. Cal became aware of Dagger’s erection against his hip, and the knowledge of that increased his arousal even more. He was panting, and the kiss had grown sloppy. Dagger pulled his lips away, and leaned in to whisper into his ear, still pressing his thigh insistently against Cal’s aching hardness, rubbing slowly.

“Fuck, Cal. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. All I could think about today was kissing you. Goddess, you have me so hot.” Dagger punctuated his soft words with kisses along Calderon’s neck, and Cal had to concentrate so he didn’t explode right in his pants. “You’re close, aren’t you? I can tell. Mmm, Cal, I’d love to see you cum.” Calderon’s head was spinning, and he knew he was on the brink of orgasm. He was relieved when Dagger moved his thigh away from his groin, and thought he might get out of this with his dignity, until Dagger shifted his body, pressing their hips together, and Cal felt Dagger’s stiff cock against his own. The thrill and shock of it was too much, and Cal shuddered and gasped, still trying to hold off the inevitable release.

“Let go, Cal, let me watch you.” Cal opened his eyes to see Dagger studying him, his face a mask of raw desire. That look, and the constant thrusting of Dagger’s erection against his own, was too much to fight, and Cal let the waves of pleasure wash over him, closing his eyes, moaning softly, soaking the front of his pants, and sagging in Dagger’s embrace.

“
Calderon
. Oh,
yes
. That was beautiful.” Dagger kissed his neck, sucking a little, and squeezed his ass, keeping him close. “Next time I watch you do that, I want to be inside of you.” Calderon moaned weakly at that, Dagger’s brazen words making his stomach flutter. He wanted to answer, but couldn’t manage to speak, so instead he ran his hands along Dagger’s back, and sought his mouth out for another kiss.

Dagger’s cock was still rock hard, pressing against Cal’s hip, thrusting gently. Cal wanted Dagger to come, now, as well. Not only for his pleasure, but because it would make Cal feel like less of a fool for his own release. But he’d never be able to say all the bold words Dagger had used. He broke their kiss and forced himself to choke out, “You, now,” and hoped Dagger understood.

Dagger smiled and took another deep kiss, grasping Cal’s hips more firmly and thrusting hard against him. He broke away and looked into Cal’s eyes, murmuring “Aaah, Cal,
anything
,” as he rocked himself towards the edge. Right before he came, he leaned into Calderon, groaning deeply with his orgasm. The noise was so arousing to Cal, he felt himself stiffen a little in his sticky briefs.

They held each other for a few more minutes, Dagger’s breath slowly returning to normal and Cal’s blush fading. Finally, Dagger peeled his body away and smirked at Calderon, “Not bad for a first kiss, huh?”

Cal barked out a laugh, feeling the last bits of his embarrassment fade. Dagger would be good for him. He smiled and made himself answer, “Not bad at all.”

There was still some heat in Dagger’s eyes as he said, “Next time, though, lets do that in a bed, okay?”

“Okay.” He stepped closer for one last kiss, and then walked across the street. Before he opened the door to his house, he turned to look at Dagger, and saw him still leaning against the door jamb, one hand massaging the front of his pants. The reminder of what they’d just done made Cal blush again, and he gave Dagger a small wave before ducking into his house.